American Presidents Documents

U.S. Presidents have varying backgrounds and political persuasions. Only one was unanimously elected. They can have little or lasting influence. These stories are about individuals with the power to make a difference at home and abroad.

As President Truman toured Berlin, before the Potsdam Conference began, he was stunned by the damage.  This memo, detailing the events of the Pre...

This documents depicts U.S. President Truman's announcement regarding his decision to send American troops to Korea. Click on the image for a better ...

President Truman wrote this note on the back of a photograph depicting him with Joseph Stalin at the Potsdam Conference. The President was mistaken, ...

President Truman responded to Henry Stimson's message of July 30, 1945 by writing on the reverse side of that cable.  This is the only written, p...

This document depicts the second page of President Truman's 6 August 1945 press release regarding America's use of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima. He...

This top-secret, now-declassified document - written by Lyman Lemnitzer (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) on 10 April 1962 - urges the Kennedy A...

This image depicts the second page of a top-secret, now-declassified document - written by Lyman Lemnitzer (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) on ...

The U.S. War Department issued a statement about the assassination of President Lincoln as soon as information was available.  This is a facsimil...

The War Department issued a news release regarding the shooting of President Lincoln on the evening of April 14, 1865.  This is a facsimile image...

While the Japanese fleet was making its way toward Hawaii, maintaining strict radio silence, some people in America thought that President Roosevelt w...

On the 18th of July, 1965, Lyndon Baines Johnson—then President of the United States—gave a speech to justify his actions in Vietnam. &nbs...

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